Beneath the Surface : A Transnational History of Skin Lighteners

"Beneath the Surface is nothing short of a tour de force. Lynn M. Thomas's 'layered history' does justice to the immensely diffi cult subject of skin lighteners. Carefully attending to the complex politics of race and color that are grounded in skin, Thomas at once provides a vibrant history of South Africa and a global history of commodity, beauty, and the body. This landmark study sets a new standard in the field." - Julie Livingston, author of Self-Devouring Growth: A Planetary Parable as Told from Southern Africa